The Hetalian Bride
by Holy Roman Empire
Summary: When Chibitalia and Chibiromano are sick, Grandpa Rome comes over to read them a story about pirates and a princess. Sweden/fem Finland.
1. When grandpa comes to visit

It was after the Great Roman Empire left his grandsons with Austria when they got sick.

Austria, who didn't know they were boys, thought it was best if Hungary took care of the "girls" while he kept Holy Rome from disturbing them.

As Austria was about to tell Holy Rome off for trying to see Italy again, there was a knock on the door.

"Stay put and I'll deal with you in a minute." Austria told Holy Rome, who was sitting on the couch pouting.

Austria opened the door, "Hello."

And in burst a rather handsome looking gladiator. "I-a heard-a my little ones were-a sick. I'm-a gonna read to them."

And with that, the Roman Empire walked past Austria and said hello to the young Holy Rome.

"I'll go tell the girls, your here then." Austria weakly said. But Roman Empire did not hear him.

Austria left the living room to go to the room Chibitalia and Chibiromano were in with Miss Hungary trying to get Romano to try and get some sleep.

"I-a told you that I-a don't want to-a go to sleep!"

Austria was shocked that Romano didn't curse at Hungary, maybe it was because 'she' liked her or it was the fact that Hungary was a woman.

"Hungary, 'girls', the Roman Empire is here." Austria got three different reactions.

Hungary got a nosebleed, Chibitalia got very happy, and Chibiromano started saying very unladylike words.

Then the Roman Empire burst in with a heavenly chorus of angels singing with Holy Rome right behind him.

Hungary ran out because her nosebleed got worse and Austria ran after her to make sure she didn't faint from blood loss.

"Grandpa Rome!"

"Why are-a you here you b stard?"

"We missed you!"

"I didn't!"

"I miei nipoti! I'ma here to read you-a story that-a Mama Egypt, Mama Greece, Mama Britannia, and-a Germania, and-a I used read to each other when we were-a sick."

"What is the story about, Mister Roman Empire?" Holy Rome timidly asked from a corner because he didn't want to get kicked out.

Grandpa Rome picked up the tiny nation and set him on the bed next to Italy. "Why, it's about-a fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles! Trust-a me, even Romano will-a like it!"

"We'll see about that b stard." Romano cursed.

"Alright, The Princess Bride, chapter one..."


	2. As you wish

**Because I forgot to do the disclaimer, here it is: I don't own Hetalia.**

 _This is Grandpa Rome and kids._

This is the story.

Enjoy!

* * *

 _'Tina_ _Väinämöinen was raised on a small farm in the country of Florin. Her pastimes included riding her horse Hanatamago, and sort of help the farm boy that worked there. The farm boy wouldn't let her help with the chores insisting that he could handle it and she would try to help him some other way. The farm boy's name was Berwald Oxenstierna, but Tina never called him that...'_

"Su-san, do you want help stacking firewood?" A small, young girl with golden braids asked.

The tall, stoic man looked at her. "No."

"Do you need help with anything?" Tina asked.

"No."

"Are you hungry? It's past noon." She looked at him through her violet eyes.

"Y's."

"Great! I'll go get you food." And as she ran off, she heard him say "As you wish."

 _'As You Wish' was the most that he would say to her._

 _And over time Tina realized that when Berwald said 'As You Wish', he truly meant, 'I love you."_

 _And that was the day she realized that she truly loved him back._

 _That same day at sunset, the kiss that they shared was in the top five most passionate kisses in the world.'_

* * *

 _"Could we-a skip the kissing parts from now on?"_

 _"Ve, why Romano? I think it's a sweet!"_

 _"Mi Romano, if I skip over the kissing, can I-a continue?"_

 _"Whatever, b stard."_

 _"Thank you, now..."_

* * *

 _Berwald had no money for them to marry so he packed what belongings he had to find better work across the sea to what is now Sweden._

The two lovers embraced for the last time.

"It w'll b' 'lr'ght. D'n't cry." Berwald whispered in her ear.

"I'm scared I'll never come back. That something will happen and I'll never see you again!" Tina cried into his chest.

Berwald stepped back and tilted her head so she could look him in the eye. "L''k 't m' 'nd l'ist'n. I w'll 'lw'ys c'm'e b'ck f'r y''."

"How do you know?"

"Do y'u th'nk a l've l'ke o'rs h'pp'ns 'v'ryd'y?"

He kissed Tina one last time and left the farm, if he turned around, he would have ran back to his love.

 _A few weeks past and Tina received a letter that Berwald's ship was attacked by the Pirate Lord Kirkland, who left none alive._

* * *

 _"Murdered by pirates is interesting."_

 _"Ve, no it's a not! Now they can't get married, Fratello!"_

* * *

 _For days, Tina neither slept nor ate. However she made a vow to her murdered lover._

"I will never love again."


	3. Three years later

Three years went by quickly for some and slow for others. Florin was reaching its 500th anniversary and the Prince Ivan was to choose a bride. And he did. However no one out side the royal family has seen her so the mysterious Princess was the talk of the country.

Five months before Ivan was to wed, he called all the peasants to the castle gate to reveal his future queen. Ivan was tall and built like a bear. He hunted and whenever a spy was caught, "talk" to the poor fool. He held his hand up to bring order to all the noise.

"My kingdom, in five months we shall be celebrating our 500th anniversary. That night, I will become King andf take a peasant girl as my Queen. Would you like to meet her?"

Ivan smiled when the roars of "yes" and "let us see her" filled his ears.

"The Princess, Tina Väinämöinen!"

As the trumpets sounded, a woman much different than a poor farm girl, walked into the square escorted by a lady in waiting. Tina wore a soft blue dress and her golden hair was carefully woven on her head. She wore a silver crown and would continue to wear it until she was queen. Once she was queen, Tina would wear the gold crown. And though she smiled, Tina's violet eyes were dead.

* * *

Though Ivan knew that his fiancee did not love him, he assured her that she will grow to love him. His claim to the throne gave him the right to choose his bride. When he saw Tina, he asked her to marry him, and she declined. Not taking 'no' for an answer, Ivan carried her kicking and screaming and forced her into a loveless marriage.

The only joy that Tina had anymore was her daily ride with Hanatamago.

This particular day however, she rode farther than she ever had and was about to turn around when she was met with a strange sight. An albino, a Spaniard, and a Frenchman.

"A word, mon cher? We are poor, lost travelers. Is there an inn nearby?" The Frenchman asked.

"There is nothing nearby. You would have to travel miles to reach the next town." Tina answered. She lost sight of the Albino and felt uneasy.

"Then there will not be any one to hear your screams."

And her vision went dark.


	4. Kiddnapping

The Frenchman was untying the small ship from the dock. The Spaniard carried the unconscious girl on board and laid her down on a bench. Then he went to help his friend.

"What are you doing Gilbert?" the Spaniard asked.

The Albino looked at his friends.

"I am ripping off a badge off a uniform of Guilder. The Prince will think that the Guildarians have kidnapped his fiancee. Ayah!" He smacked the horses rear to get it galloping towards the castle and then jumped on the deck of the ship as it was shoving off. "When the Prince finds her body in Guilder, he will avenge her death by starting a war."

"You never said anything about killing her, amigo!"

"Antonio, we were hired to start a war." Gilbert explained. He didn't like the job but his mysterious employer gave him a couple thousand pounds.

"That does not justify the murder of a une belle femme!"

"I don't like it either, Francis. However with the money, we could pay off our debts."

* * *

It was midnight now and Tina was wide awake and silent out of fear. Gilbert was relaxed against the side of the ship across from her. Francis was at the helm and Antonio was sitting on the back of the ship looking over his shoulder every five minutes.

For some unknown reason, an uneasiness crept under their skin.

"Stop doing that, you unawesome Spaniard! We're almost done with the job." Gilbert was getting annoyed with the tension.

"Sorry amigo."

"Ivan could not have gotten to and out of the harbor so fast and no one in Guilder has a clue as to what is happening."

"Are you sure no one is following us?"

"It would be unawesome for that to happen. Out of curiosity, why do you ask?" Gilbert was on red alert.

"I just happened to look behind me and something is there."

Tina's heart raced. A plan started forming in her mind. She may be blonde and pretty, but she was not dumb.

"What!"

Francis, Gilbert, and Antonio were focused on the small ship in the distance, their backs turned to Tina.

"Must be a fisherman." Francis tried to reason.

"Out for a pleasure cruise at night." Antonio added.

"Through shark infested water." Gilbert finished.

SPLASH!

Tina didn't hear the last comment before she jumped. She just wanted to escape. Even if she had to swim to a potentally new danger to escape her current situation. Who knows, if she did die she would be reunited with Berwald. Tina heard the three shouting about who would jump in after her and eventually started to turn the ship around.

"Hey, you unawesome Frau, it's the middle of the night, we're all tired, and we have a job to do. We also have a ship. You are in shark breeding grounds. If you swim back to us now, we all promiss to treat you with respect. I doubt that you will get kinder offer from the sharks." Gilbert yelled into the darkness.

Tina felt something nudge her leg. She almost screamed but she didn't want to alert them to her position.

The moon came out from behind the clouds and the stars glowed different colors, lighting up the sea.

Tina saw a dorsal fin above the water in front of her and froze in fear. The fin was getting closer, she could see its black eyes, its multiple rows of razor, sharp teeth and then...

* * *

 **Oh I am cruel. My apologies.**

 **Thank you to the lovely people who have commented so far, it means a lot to me. I love you people.**

 **So, I have a poll on my profile that I would like to have votes on. You do not have to vote and it will be open until I finish this story and America's Wife.**

 **I do not own Hetalia or the Princess Bride. That would be inconceivable.**


	5. Rock climbing is crazy

_"She isn't killed by the sharks." Grandpa Rome told the three frightened children._

 _Italy had a death grip on Holy Rome, Holy Rome had a death grip on a pillow, and Romano was hiding behind a pillow._

 _"What do you mean, Mr. Rome?" Holy Rome gasped because Italy had him in a death hug._

 _"She isn't killed by sharks. I am-a saying that she survives because you all look like you are-a gonna pass out from fright." Grandpa Rome explained._

 _"So the ragazza, lives?" Romano asked from behind a pillow._

 _"Of course she lives. Tina is saved before the shark gets her."_

 _"Ve, by who Grandpa Rome?" Italy asked loosening 'her' grip on Holy Rome._

 _"I am-a going to have to continue if you want to know. Are you going to be scared now?"_

 _The three children shook their heads._

 _"Ok, where was I? Oh yes, Tina jumped, shark started to charge, and then..._

* * *

Tina was pulled from the water as Antonio smashed an oar on the head of a 20 foot shark. Gilbert set the shivering girl down as Francis grabbed some rope to tie her up.

"You are either very brave or very stupid Princess."

Tina said nothing.

* * *

At dawn, they reached the Cliffs of Mielenvikainen. Gilbert was doing a weird laugh. He was very excited or nervous because the ship behind them had gained on them.

The four got off the boat and helped Antonio into a harness. When Tina questioned them they said that he had the strength of ten bulls. Then they started the climb.

Almost a quarter of the way up, Tina looked down. It wasn't that she was scared of heights, it was just that she was really high in the air trusting a stranger not to slip up. However, she saw a black figure climbing the rope after them. And he was gaining on them.

Once they reached the top if the cliffs, Francis helped her and Antonio up while Gilbert was cutting the rope. Once the rope was cut, the three kidnappers went to the edge and looked down. The man didn't fall. In fact, he was trying to find a foot hold in the wall.

"HE DIDN'T FALL! UNAWESOME!"

"You keep using that word, amigo. I do not think it means what you think it means."

"Look, he's climbing." Francis was surprised.

Tina slowly got up and backed away. She was almost ten feet away from where she was when Francis turned around and tackled her to the ground. She fought like mad and due to the climb, Francis was not at full strength. Then Gilbert and Antonio tackled her as well. Tina bit Gilbert's hand and felt satisfaction as she drew blood. Antonio tied her hands and after a kick to the face Francis tied her feet. Gilbert found a pressure point at the back of her neck and knocked her out.

Gilbert threw her over his shoulder and turned to Antonio, "Stay here, if he falls fine, if not, the sword."

"I am going to duel him left handed."

"Be careful, mon ami."

And the three parted ways.

* * *

The man quickly grabbed the cliff wall as the rope fell. He knew the three kidnappers were watching him.

He heard a shout and knew the woman must have attempted to run away. There was a fight and one of the three must have been kicked where it hurts.

Then he started climbing. He was so close to his prize. He would not fail now.


	6. The three amigos

**Lo siento amigos. I don't own Hetalia.**

 **I have a poll on my profile for another fic so if you want a say in which couple is the main thing, you may want to vote.**

 **Sorry, here is the new chapter.**

* * *

Antonio waited impatiently for something to happen. After swing his sword around and hitting a tree, he walked over to the edge of the cliffs and saw that the man had moved closer to the top.

"Hola, amigo."

A deep voice answered back. "This is not as easy as it looks. Please don't distract me."

"Lo siento."

"Thank you."

Antonio walked in a circle and walked right back.

"Do you think that you could speed things up?"

"If you really want me to make it to the top alive, why don't you lower some rope or a tree branch or find something useful to do while you wait."

"I have some rope right here with me. But you would not accept my help because I am only waiting to kill you." Antonio said.

"That does add to the reasons why I do not trust you."

"How about I will not kill you until you reach the top? What say you? I give you my word as a Spaniard."

"Not likely. I have known too many Spaniards."

Antonio took a deep breath. "I swear on the soul of my wife, Chiara Vargas Carriedo, you will reach the top alive."

They stared at each other, the man saw the pain in his eyes when he spoke of his dead wife. Then the man said "Throw me the rope then."

Antonio threw the remaining rope over the edge and pulled the man up. As the man started to pull his sword, Antonio suggested that they wait until he was ready.

As he rested on one of the boulders, Antonio noticed how he was all dressed in dark blue. Blue trousers, shirt, and a dark blue cloak.

"I do not mean to pry, but are you any chance Turkish?"

"Any reason why you want to know?"

"My Chiara was murdered by a Turkesh man."

The man said nothing and Antonio was lost in memory.

"She was a brilliant blacksmith. Made the most beautiful weapons and armor. A Turk came in and asked her to make a sword and for a year and a half she worked on it. When the man came he asked her to be his wife and she refused. The Turk took the sword and slit her throat. I walked in and saw her on the ground dead so I challenged her killer to a duel. I lost and he got away so that is why I asked."

"I take it your search is not well."

"Ay Dios mio, es muy mal." Antonio looked tired and it was the other guy who tried climbing without a rope.

"Shall we duel to the death now?"

"Si, lo siento senor. You seem like a decent man. I'll be sad when I kill you."

The other man nodded.

And they dueled. On the rocky terrain, some of the old ruins of a fort, and all over they dueled. To an onlooker, it would seem as it was a dance. How long they fought, neither of them knew, but Antonio slipped on some gravel and allowed his opponent to gain the upper hand.

The man in blue didn't kill him. He just lightly hit him on the head to knock him out but not enough to kill him. He then followed the two sets of tracks towards Guildor.

* * *

"This is unawesome!" Gilbert yelled. "I don't believe it! He bested Antonio!"

Francis had to agree with the albino. They were a few miles away from their goal and decided to rest while waiting for their friend.

"Francis, you are going to stay behind and finish him your way." Gilbert glared at the figure in the distance.

"How do you expect me to get rid of him, mon ami?" Francis was curious to hear what Gilbert said.

"I don't know. Stand twenty feet apart and throw rocks at each other. You'll figure it out." Gilbert then pulled the now awake Tina to her feet. Her hands were still bound but her feet were not so she could walk.

"I assume that when this is over we meet up at the Lion's Pride?" Francis asked.

"Yes. And if Antonio is alive..." Gilbert gave a half hearted smile and then dragged Tina with him until Francis could no longer see them.

Francis prayed that his friends would be alright and if God would have mercy on their souls once they murdered the Princess.

When the man in a dark blue cloak reached the spot where Francis was, Francis did not even bother to hide.

"Where is the Princess?" he asked.

"Alive. Where is my friend?" Francis asked.

"Alive."

 _Oh Dieu merci!_

"So here is the deal. We need the Princess. You are trying to take her away from us and we cannot let that happen."

"Is that so?" He did not look or sound amused but Francis dismissed him.

"Yes. So, how do you want to duel?"

"You are French, yes?"

"Oui."

"And you are asking me how I want to duel you?" _Weren't they cowards?_

"I can assure you that I am perfectly willing to duel you. I even asked if you how you wanted to duel. I'll have you know that the French are cowards is just a stereotype that was spread by that _Captain Eyebrows_. We sacked Rome*, defeated Germany in the Battle of Bouvines**, and I could go on about that."

"I believe you."

"So, do you want to throw rocks at each other or shall we take it up a knotch and use knives instead?" Francis smiled.

"I wish to throw rocks."

"Great," Francis turned his back on him. "So I choose this ro-"

The man walked up to the Frenchman and hit him upside the head with his sword. He looked around and found two sets of footprints: a man's and a woman's. So he followed them.

* * *

Gilbert was strangely calm when the man in a blue cloak walked up to him.

"If you keep moving forward, this pretty Frau will not look so lively."

One step. The woman was silently begging that the new man would save her.

"I mean it." Gilbert threatened.

"I believe you." the man replied.

Another step. _Please save me!_

"I am warning you, not one more step." He raised his knife to her throat.

Another step.

 _PATER noster, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum. Adveniat regnum tuum. Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie, et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo. Amen.*_

Gilbert moved his knife and Tina whimpered and her violet eyes wide with fear. Some blood was trickling down her neck.

The man stopped.

"It wasn't deep enough to kill her, but it got my point across. Why do you want this unawesome frau?" Gilbert asked.

"Why do you want to kill the woman?"

"To start a war. I got paid by one of those high officials, don't know how high, but he really wanted her dead and Gilder to blame for it. Why do you want the frau?"

"I was sent to fetch her by her fiancee."

 _How does the Prince send someone that quickly? No one could have caught up with us._

"Well sorry to disappoint you."

Gilbert raised his knife again but was not quick with his killing stroke because the man in the blue cloak threw a dagger of his own and hit his mark. The Albino fell dead and the Princess was still alive.

The man went over to the princess and untied her hands and tore off part of his cloak to clean up her neck. She didn't say anything and didn't flinch away. The front of her dress had a deep crimson on it.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yes. Thank you."

The man said nothing as he picked her up bridal style.

He carried her a few minutes before she gathered enough courage to ask him how Ivan sent him after her.

"Ivan didn't send me."

 _'No one in Florin could have gotten here so fast.' Gilbert had said._

 _Pirate!_

* * *

 ***The Lord's Prayer in Latin. Almost 80% of Finland is Christian.**

 **Don't know if you know this but Sweden was in a war with Prussia.**

 **Sorry for the late update.**


	7. Ivan's coming

**Poll results:**

 **USUK vs Rusame-1**

 **Gerita vs HRE/Italy-1**

 **Spamano vs Spain/Belgium-0**

 **FRUK vs USUK-0**

 **Prucan vs Franada-0**

 **There is still time to vote. It does not end until this story is done. Plus there needs to be more votes before I actually start writing.**

 **I do not own Hetalia or the Princess Bride. Enjoy my lovelies.**

* * *

Prince Ivan examined the foot prints that went all over the old watch tower and surrounding terrain. From what he saw, the two swordsmen were both masters. The battle must have lasted a while before the winner was proclaimed. After that the winner followed the foot prints that went in the direction of Guilder.

The Prince then got back on his horse without a word to his Count and they rode off.

They rode a few miles until they saw a man laying on the ground as if asleep. Upon further inspection, the man was hit on the head and they didn't need to concern themselves with him.

If Ivan only knew he let one of his Princess's kidnappers slip right through his fingers.

They came to an Albino with a dagger in his heart. Ivan got off his horse and took the dagger out of his chest and looked at it. On the hilt was the initials: _A.K._ _Arthur Kirkland!_

"That damned pirate." Ivan whispered.

"Sorry my Lord?" The Count asked.

"Nothing Sadik. This man was the one that kidnapped the Princess. He is part of Kirkland's crew. One of which must have committed mutiny or some form of crime to have Kirkland murder him. After all, he has killed for less."

 _So have you._ Count Sadik thought but said nothing.

"There are his footprints along with the Princess's. Come, we're getting close.

* * *

"Are you the Pirate Lord Kirkland?" Tina asked but still afraid of what he would do to her. She has heard what he has done. Especially to women. That and he murdered her lover.

"Yes. Is there anything that I can do you?" He sounded sincere.

A strong feeling washed over her. It was not fear, it was an intense hatred.

"You could burn at the stake." That was harsh, even for her.

"You wound me, my Lady. What have I done to deserve your hate?" _As if he didn't know, but he might not remember._

"You murdered my fiance."

"I could have. I killed a lot of people for many reasons."

Tina sulked on a boulder that over looked the ravine. While she wallowed in memories, Kirkland watched her. Her violet eyes seemed far away and she probably didn't noticed the tear that was on her cheek.

"Who was your fiance, a Count, a Duke?"

"No. A farm boy. We were poor but didn't care. He left to find a better job and you killed him."

"Well if I spared one person, word would spread and then my work becomes much more difficult." He explained but Tina didn't like his answer.

"You are mocking my pain!" She cried.

"Life is pain, _my Lady!_ If a Polish man tells you other wise, he's selling you something." He could have said that kindly but he was at his wits end.

Tina turned away so he could not see her expression. She knew that life was a pain, but at least with her Su-san it was bearable.

"I remember your 'farm boy' I think. It was three to five years ago, was it? Sometime around then? He died better than most. He was not afraid of death or dying, only of leaving you. He did not beg for mercy or for his life, only the chance to see a young woman of great faithfulness, beauty, and kindness. I assume that was you. Are you alright hearing this?"

A tear fell on Tina's cheek but Kirkland did not see and Tina did not care. "Nothing can hurt like a broken heart." She whispered.

"Well you should be pleased that he died before he found out what you truly were."  
"Oh and what am I? A farm girl? A princess? A woman who wished every day to die but held on to false hope, denial, and delusion that she would wake up and the man she loved would tell her it was a bad dream or come walking through my door saying that he was home?" Venom was crawling in her voice.

"Did you get engaged to the Prince the same hour that your Farm Boy died or did you wait a week out of respect?" He shouted at her.

Something in Tina snapped and the man suddenly felt a tinge of fear of the young woman.

"YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ME! I DIED THAT DAY AND EVERY DAY SINCE!" Her violet eyes were cold and harsh. Her voice was sharp and venom was dripping off her words.

What was the saying? Oh yes. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

The sound horses tore his gaze from her to about ten coming in the distance.

"You can rot in Hell for all I care." And Tina pushed him in to the ravine.

As Tina turned away, she heard three little words that turned her blood to ice.

"As you wish…"

* * *

 **Arthur Kirkland, you naughty pirate.**

 **Ok, read and review. Don't forget to vote!**


	8. He's alive throws confetti

**Gerita VS HRE/Italy: 1**

 **USUK VS Rusame: 1**

 **Spamano VS Spain/Belgium: 2**

 **FRUK VS USUK: 0**

 **Prucan VS Franada: 1**

 **Here are the results. If you want your ship in the next story, vote now or forever hold your peace.**

 **Now for the scene we have all been waiting for...**

 **I own nothing.**

* * *

Tina's eyes went wide in fear, shock, and disbelief. When she realized what she did, she started running down the side to reach him but it was too steep and she ended up tumbling down to the bottom of the ravine.

* * *

"They have disappeared, my Lord."

"Obviously, Sadik. Kirkland may have took her into the ravine to possibly escape into the Białowieża Forest.*" Prince Ivan kicked his horse to get it moving again.

Ivan had big plans for his future wife and he was very annoyed that a silly, little pirate was interfering in his plans with Tina. He was going to get her back, she will marry him, and she will give him a son. After that, she may even come to love him

* * *

Berwald groaned and moved his limbs to make sure that he had nothing broken. There wasn't. After all these years, he still loved his wife, and he promised that he would come back for her. It broke his heart when he came back to find that she was marrying another. He did admit that he would have left her to her happiness. After all, he did leave for a few years and she may have heard rumors. Berwald then overheard the three idiots planning to kidnap Tina and he had to follow. He was glad he did. His heart skipped a few beats when he saw again, his heart stopped for a moment when that Albino cut her throat, and his heart leaped for joy when she admitted that she did not love her "fiance".

Berwald heard a feminine groan and wincing. He turned his head to see Tina sprawled out on the ravine floor. Her light blue dress had grass stains and was torn a bit, her golden blonde hair was like a halo surrounding her, and she was dirty.

She was the most beautiful creature that he had ever seen.

Berwald crawled over to her and saw that her bandage on her neck was coming loose and bleeding again. As he started to fix it, Tina opened her violet eyes and Berwald saw many emotions in her eyes. Pain, joy, grief, relief, love, disbelief, hesitation, and thankfulness.

Then she slapped him.

"Ow!"

"I'm sorry! I just had to check if you were real or just a hallucination." Tina whispered.

"Well, I am most definitely rea-OW!" She slapped him again.

"That was for leaving me."

"I guess I deserved that. Why didn't you wait? I told you I would come back for you."

She started crying. "You...Kirkland...I thought..."

"You thought I was dead." He took her in his arms and held her. "No matter what happens now, I will always come back for you and love you for eternity. I will never leave you again til death do us part." Berwald vowed.

"And I promise to wait for you and love you til death do us part." Tina vowed.

Then they-

* * *

 _"Oh for the love of tomatoes, STOP!" Romano yelled._

 _"Why,_ _il mio piccolo Romano?*" Grandpa Rome asked._

 _"They are kissing again. Do we seriously need to hear that?!" Romano said without swearing._

 _"Did they just get married, ve? I think that's sweet!"_

 _"No Italy, they need a witness, a marriage licence, and a priest to have a legal marriage." Holy Rome said._

 _"Would not God be a witness and a judge? They vowed to love each other forever." Italy asked._

 _"I think that they eloped right then I miei piccoli.*" Grandpa Rome said. "But I think that they will go to a priest to get married the proper way."_

 _"Oh, okay Mr. Rome."_

 _"May I continue if I skip the kissing Romano?"_

 _Romano nodded his head.._

 _"Ok! The two lovers raced along the ravine floor trying to escape before the Prince and his horses caught up to them..."_

* * *

"Look up there." Berwald pointed and Tina looked up.

There Ivan was. On top of the ravine looking down at them.

"Come on, in just a few minutes and we will be safe in the Białowieża Forest."

A chill ran up Tina's spine and she did not think that this was a good plan. However, she trusted Berwald, and if he had a plan, she would follow it.

* * *

 ***The largest forest in Europe. It's located in Belarus and Poland.**

 ***my little Romano**

 ***my little ones**

 **vote for your ship.**


	9. Into the woods

**Gerita VS HRE/Italy: 1**

 **USUK VS Rusame: 5**

 **Spamano VS Spain/Belgium: 2**

 **FRUK VS USUK: 3**

 **Prucan VS Franada: 2**

 **Here are the results. If you want your ship in the next story, vote now in the comments or on the poll, or forever hold your peace. You can vote two ships.**

 **Now we learn what Berwald did as "Captain Kirkland".**

* * *

"It's not that bad." Berwald said.

Tina had to agree. From all the stories of people going in and never coming out, it fell short of her expectations of a dark, horrible forest. This place was very beautiful. Tall, green trees, beautiful flowers, Tina even saw a bison. If anyone never came out, Tina knew why; it was just so beautiful to leave.

And then the sun went behind the clouds. Everything was dark, the trees looked dead, the flowers that held life, revealed hidden bones of all the others that had entered into the forest.

"I take that back, it's dark, it's gloomy, and it's full of dead people."

They walked on in silence. The birds that sang in the sunlight were nowhere to be seen. It seamed quiet, too quiet.

"So, tell me what happened. After you left. You were gone for three years and became a pirate, how? Why didn't you come back?" Tina broke the silence with the question that has been burning in her thoughts since she learned that he was alive.

Berwald took a deep breath and began. "What I told you about the please was true. Kirkland was surprised and spared my life. I joined his crew and quickly became his first mate. A year ago, he took me in his cabin and told me that he was not the real Captain Kirkland. He was a man named Emil and he was from Iceland. The man that he inherited the title from was from Lithuania. The real Captain Kirkland was retired on an island, filthy rich too, with a Native named Migisi* that he married. He has many children to keep him occupied, I met him after I became Captain because he wanted to see if I was worthy of the title."

Tina nodded to show she understood. "So why didn't you come back?"

"I wanted to have enough money to support you and um...any children we have." they both blushed. "We have enough to live off of for the rest of our lives."

"That sounds lovely Su-san."

The two walked hand in hand down a path that a ray of sunlight lit up from behind the clouds.

After a while, the two felt uneasy. When Tina brought it up, Berwald drew his sword and said that he would protect her. That made her feel a little better, but they both felt like they were being watched.

Just then, they heard howling nearby and a large grey/gray wolf jumped out of the bushes to the left of them and Berwald barely had time to get his sword up to swing at the wolf before it made some damage.

Berwald yelled at Tina to run and she did. She ran down the path and another wolf that was pure black chased after her. Tina climbed up into a great Mamamuszi* tree and broke of some of the thinner branches to throw at the wolf. She continued to throw branches at the wolf until Berwald stumbled through the bushes and finished the wolf off.

Tina climbed down and saw that Berwald's arm was bloody. She tore a strip of his cloak to bandage his wound and they continued to make their way through to the other side.

* * *

It took them a few days to reach the other side, but they made it. Berwald's arm had stopped bleeding and Tina's neck no longer needed to have any wrapping on it. They both looked terrible; muddy, bloody, grass stains, twigs and leaves in their hair. Anyone looking at them would not have guessed that she was a Princess and he a Pirate. They stopped to rest on the edge of the forest in the sunlight.

"Now, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Berwald asked.

Tina smiled after the hell they just been through.

They thought that they were in the clear and leaned in to kiss when they heard the sound of horses.

Berwald stood between the prince and Tina, his sword drawn and death in his eyes.

"Surrender." The Prince glared at Berwald, the only one not affected by his gaze.

"I accept your surrender, Ivan."

"I believe you are a brave man, but there is a fine line between bravery and a fool."

Tina heard leaves rustling behind her and turned to look. There were archers on either side of them, Berwald didn't noticed because he was arguing whether or not he was surrendering to Ivan.

"For the last time, surrender!" Ivan drew his sword.

"I'd die first!" Berwald shouted.

"Do you swear on your life to spare him?" Tina asked Ivan.

Her question confused the men. One thought that she was too quiet to understand, and the other thought he heard wrong.

"This man is a crew member of Kirkland, he saved me from my kidnappers. If I go with you, do you promise to return this kind man to his ship?"

"I swear on my sister's grave he will return to his captain." Ivan and his horse moved towards them.

Tina turned to Berwald and though he was stone faced, she knew that he was heartbroken. In the few seconds that they had left together, she whispered, "Jag förlorade dig en gång för länge sedan , och jag nästan dog . Jag skulle dö om jag förlorade igen när den här gången jag kunde ha räddat dig . Jag kommer att vänta för dig om du väntar på mig . Jag älskar dig."

And Ivan picked her up and took her back to Florin with him.

Berwald's heart broke as he watched the prince take his Tina away for the second time.

"Come on _pirate_ , we must get you to your Captain."

Berwald looked at the speaker. He could be tall if he was not on a horse, he had olive skin, and he wore a white mask.

Berwald walked forward. "Are you by any chance Turkish?"

"Yes, why?" the man asked suspiciously.

"I ran into a man who was looking for a Turk-

And Berwald was knocked out.

* * *

 ***Migisi means eagle in Cheyenne (Native American tribe): Fem America.**

 ***thickest tree in the forest.**

 **I just had to put a Disney reference. Cookies to whoever gets it.**

 **I got the translation off Google Translate. Sorry Swedish readers.**

 **Swedish: Jag förlorade dig en gång för länge sedan , och jag nästan dog . Jag skulle dö om jag förlorade igen när den här gången jag kunde ha räddat dig . Jag kommer att vänta för dig om du väntar på mig . Jag älskar dig.**

 **I lost you once long ago, and I nearly died. I would die if I lost you again when this time I could have saved you. I will wait for you if you wait for me. I love you.**

 **Review and vote for your ship(s). =)**


	10. Sweet Dreams

**Here are the results. If you want your ship in the next story, vote now in the comments or forever hold your peace. You can vote two if you wish.**

 **USUK VS Rusame: 5**

 **Prucan VS Franada: 4**

 **FRUK VS USUK: 3**

 **Spamano VS Spain/Belgium: 3**

 **Gerita VS HRE/Italy: 2**

 **I own nothing.**

* * *

A dark hooded figure carried a basket into the woods. No one knew him and no one followed him, The figure stopped in front of a tall oak tree. The figure did something that no prying eyes could see and then the figure walked into the tree.

He walked down a flight of stairs and into a hidden cavern underneath the forest. Inside was a strange sight. There was a desk that if you looked under it there you would find an albino German Sheppard and three puppies, if you went down the corridor to the left you would find one of the few remaining Hungarian Horntails in the world, and on a table in the center of the room, lay a blond haired man with a very nasty bite on his arm. His wrists and his ankles were chained so he could not escape.

The figure took off their cloak and revealed an Asian man with a low ponytail. He fed the animals and then he took some water and a rag and tried to clean up the man's arm.

He must not have been as gentle as he thought or it was a very sensitive bite, because the man winced and opened his eyes. It took the man awhile to gather his surroundings and he looked at the Asian that was caring for his arm.

"Where am I and where is my wife?" the blond asked.

"You are in one of the Prince's torture chambers. And if you mean Princess Tina, she is going to get married to Ivan in three months. You were unconscious for two, aru."

"Why are you cleaning my arm?"

"Ivan likes his prey to be fit when he breaks them."

"I've dealt with torture before."

"You've never dealt with Ivan before."

The blond was silent while the man continued to clean his wounds. Now the question is, how will he escape?

* * *

 _Tina and Berwald were expecting their first child. There was no Ivan, no pirates, just them and their baby. It was a very difficult birth and the Midwife was concerned that both Tina and the baby would not survive, but they did. Tina delivered a healthy baby boy that the couple named Peter._

 _Peter had his father's strong chin and his mother's violet eyes. The one thing that they did not expect was Peter to have silvery blond hair. Nevertheless, they loved him._

 _Just then, Ivan, fully dressed in armor burst in sword in hand and killed Berwald and the Midwife. Tina would have ran if she could but she was still weak from giving birth._

 _She did her best to protect her son like all mothers do, but Ivan ripped her son from her hands and-_

Tina shot up. She looked Berwald and felt panic when she did not find him. Then she remembered. She was not in a cottage with Berwald. She was in a castle. Thankfully, she was not pregnant though Ivan threatened to move the date of the wedding up which scared her.

Her nightmares have started ever since she left Berwald at the Forest. She didn't want to leave Berwald but Ivan would have killed him.

Tina did not go back to sleep that night. It was still three months to the wedding.

* * *

 _Tina was at the docks waiting for her lover to come home. Berwald was coming back and they would marry, go to the country side and raise a family._

 _She saw his ship dock into the harbor and Tina nearly died from happiness when Berwald ran down to where she was waiting with open arms._

 _However, he did not run to her. He stopped right in front of her and looked heart broken._

 _"Why did you marry him?" he asked._

 _"What do you mean? I waited for you." Tina was confused._

 _"You left me to be Queen. Why?"_

 _Tina looked down at her dress. It was a deep scarlet and gold dress and her head felt heavy so there must have been a crown on her head. Then Ivan came up to her and took her hand and led her away._

 _She never forgot the look on her Berwald's face._

Tina woke up crying. The wedding was two months away and Berwald did not come for her. With the nearing wedding date, Tina was getting more and more stressed and it was beginning to show.

Ivan dismissed it as Tina's concern for his sister's, Queen Irina, failing health.

The Queen died that night and Ivan and Tina were married before dawn.

* * *

 _"There is no way that Tina would ever marry Ivan!"_

 _"Shut up and listen to me."_

* * *

The next day, King Ivan presented Tina to the people, this time as queen.

Tina wore a dark red and gold dress with the queen's golden crown on her head. She did not smile, her eyes were dead and she was broken inside.

The people bowed down out of respect except one woman.

"BOO! BOO!" A woman in a red dress with long blonde hair and little white bear shouted.

"Why do you say that?" Tina asked softly.

"Because you had a chance to be with your love and you gave it up for wealth." She spat.

"He would have killed Berwald if I did not do it."

"La foutaise! Your lover killed mine to save you and you treated him like filth. So bow to the Queen if you want, she'll never love anyone."

Two guards came forward and pulled the woman to her knees. "You know that I am right, Tina Väinämöinen." And the guard slit her throat for treason against the queen.

* * *

Tina shot up with a heart that was going to leap out of her chest.

 _"I knew she wouldn't marry Ivan."_

 _"Yes, you're very smart Romano, shut up and listen."_

It was one month to the wedding and Queen Irina still lived. Tina raced to Ivan's office where he spent most of his days.

She burst into the room still in her night dress and spooked him when he saw her.

"I love Berwald. I always have and I always will. If you don't free me of the wedding and insist on our marriage, I swear to God that I if I cannot leave, I will take my life." This boldness was unlike Tina. She was usually more calm and quiet.

Ivan took a minute to process who Berwald was. The man in his favorite torture chamber. Ivan thought about what she said and came up with a plan.

"Alright, I'll release you of the engagement." _No way in hell._ "I will send my quickest messengers," _No I won't. "_ If Berwald comes for you," _I seriously doubt it._ "Bless you both. But if he does not," _He will die. "_ Please consider our marriage as an alternative to suicide."

Ivan gave her his best puppy eyes.

Tina nodded and left.

* * *

 **Russia is one of my favorite characters in Hetalia. He's a precious cinnamon roll.**


	11. Brute Squad

**Here are the results. If you want your ship in the next story, vote now in the comments or forever hold your peace. You can vote two if you wish. The ships with the least votes will be taken out.**

 **USUK VS Rusame: 5**

 **Spamano VS Spain/Belgium: 5**

 **Gerita VS HRE/Italy: 5**

 **Prucan VS Franada: 4**

 **FRUK VS USUK: 4**

 **I own nothing.**

* * *

In the weeks leading up to the wedding, security around the castle has been tightened. Instead of two guards at each door, it was now four and instead of ten soldiers at the gates, it was now twenty. The Captain of the Guard, a man by the name of Eduard von Boch, was in a living hell. His forces have been stretched to thin and he had to train new recruits, which was not at all fun. Eduard's nerves were already to the breaking point so when the Prince called him into his office to have a "chat", sent him in to a nervous breakdown.

After saying his prayers, he stepped into the office where Ivan was waiting for him.

"Come in and sit, da?" His smile could have been genuine or it could have been false. Eduard was trying not to freak out.

"I heard from my spies that there are assassins hiding out in the Thieves's Forest."

"Assassins, my Lord? My men have not heard of such things."

"It does not matter. I don't want my fiancee dead on our wedding night and I want that forest empty the day before."

"That would be very difficult, sir. All the soldiers are protecting your castle and fiancee..." _If she wasn't marring you, I'd marry her._ But the thought was quickly extinguished.

"Form a brute squad!" Ivan snapped at him. "I want that forest empty before I marry!"

"Yes sir." Eduard bowed and ran.

* * *

It was a week before the wedding. The Thieves's Forest was almost empty. Eduard was quite proud of himself. Until his Second in Command gave him some news he didn't like.

"Sir, there is a man that is giving us some trouble." Toris said.

"What do you mean? Can't you just force him to leave?"

"He's drunk sir, and he is pretty clear that he wants to stay put, sir."

"Take some soldiers, and remove him."

"Yes, sir."

Toris took Allan and Oliver to where a drunk Spaniard was laying in his own drool outside of the Lion's Pride. They heard him before they saw him.

"I AM WAITING FOR YOU AMIGO! YOU TOLD US TO MEET HERE! DONDE ESTAS GILBERT?"

Allen stepped forward first. "Sir,"

The drunk man swung his sword and almost nailed Allen in the kneecap.

"Estoy a la espera de Gilbert."

"What?"

"We have a job to do so, estoy a la espera de Gilbert" He said in a sing-song voice.

"What is the problem, mon amis?"

"He wont move." Oliver said.

"Oh, well," with the grace of a Frenchmen, the new comer knocked out the three guards with a swift blow to the head.

Then Francis helped his drunk friend to his feet.

"You don't look so good," As he held his friend up Francis got a good whiff of body odor. "You don't smell to fresh either."

"Que are tu hablando about?" Antonio slurred in a broken mix of Spanish and English. "Yo estoy fine." And then he passed out drunk.

 _Francis nursed his sick friend back to health as well as told him of the whereabouts of the Turk that murdered his wife._

Francis was feeding his drunk friend through his hangover as he told him of Prince Ivan's right hand man, Sadik.

 _And after the news of the Turk, Antonio took it rather well._

Antonio fell face forward in his bowl of soup.

 _Once Antonio was feeling better Francis told him of Gilbert's death and of the wedding that was still on for the Prince and his fiancee._

"How are we to scale the castle?"

"The castle is guarded by sixty men at each entrance. They increased security last night."

"I have no gift of strategy, mi amigo."

"Nor I, but Gilbert is dead."

"No, not Gilbert. We need that man. Think about it, He beat me with my sword, he beat you with wit, he must have bested Gilbert. We need to find him and convince him to help us."

"How? We were going to kill his 'lover' the last time we saw him."

"We can convince him we can work together. We save the girl and I kill the Turk." Antonio stood up and opened the door of the room in the inn they were staying in.

"Where are you going?"

"To find the Man. After all these years, my Chiara's soul can finally be at peace. There is going to be blood tonight!"

* * *

"Have you any news from Berwald?" Tina asked.

Ivan shook his head. "Not yet, dearest."

Tina knew he lied. "You never sent for Berwald. I asked one of the servants and they said you never sent them out. It matters not. He will still come."

"You are a silly one, aren't you."

"Yes, but at least I am not a liar that takes what they want."

Ivan froze. That was the first time someone dared talk back to him. Tina loved Ivan, didn't she? "I love you, my little sunflower."

"I am sorry I don't feel the same way, Ivan, but I love another."

Ivan felt a jealous rage within him. Not wanting to explode on his future wife, he grabbed her arm and drug her to her room and locked her in.

He ignored her cries as he left and shut himself in his office.

He was so angry and so sad that he did not notice Sadik had come in.

"Please go away, I wish to be alone."

"You and I both know that is not what you want." Sadik moved closer. "What you want is for your Princess to love you. But that not happen if her lover is around."

"What do you suggest? Could you get rid of him?"

"If that is what you wish. I can make him disappear from the Kingdom."

"Please do."

"As you wish, my Lord." As Sadik left, the cruelest smirk appeared on his face.

Ivan, without knowing, gave him the "OK" to murder his prisoner.

* * *

 **Vote for ships, the ship with the least votes will be removed from the polls. Don't let it be yours.**

 **Love you people!**


	12. 65

**USUK VS Rusame: 8**

 **Spamano VS Spain/Belgium: 6**

 **Gerita VS HRE/Italy: 9**

 **Prucan VS Franada: 5**

 **Please vote up to two ships. As of this chapter, FRUK VS USUK will not be in the polls anymore due to only having 4 votes.**

 **I own nothing.**

* * *

Sadik was milking a Mojave Rattlesnake and Brazilian Wandering Spider. He was going to mix the two deadly toxins together and inject them into his prisoner for a slow and painful death. The Prince may have enjoyed torturing spies and traitors, but that was it. Sadik enjoyed killing, the sense of dominance he had when he watched the life drain out of someone.*

Meh-funh was beginning to like the prisoner. He did not talk much and was not like the the others who cat called her. He respected her even if at first he confused her for a man upon their first meeting as she wore a cloak and her voice was a tad deeper than most girls. She was about to say something in protest when Sadik started talking about his "evil plan".

"I suppose you want to hear the news about the wedding. Well, Ivan and Tina will be married as planned, but before they set out on the honeymoon, Tina will be alone in her room while Ivan prepares for departure. During that hour, I am going to sneak in and slit her throat or run her through with a dagger or stab her until she bleeds out, I haven't decided yet. The great thing is, Ivan will not know anything about it. He likes her to much to have any part of it. And once Gilder is blamed, we get to have a war on our hands where Ivan may or may not be betrayed and I will become king. What do you think?"

Berwald couldn't say anything because he had a gag on, but Meh-Funh could see that he was very pissed that Sadik would threaten Princess Tina.

Meh-Funh took up a bucket of raw meat and left to feed the Hungarian Horntail. She got to where the large dragon was chained and fed her the pieces of meat one at a time when she heard it and her blood turned to ice.

It was a scream that even had the mighty dragon cowering. So full of pain and anger and fear.

Meh-Funh ran to where Sadik was and saw him smirking holding a needle and the empty vile of venom over a now dead Berwald.

* * *

Tina gave up trying to escape her room. She only had one window and a locked door. She contemplated jumping out the window but she would die from the fall.

Then she heard a heart wrenching scream that echoed in her room and she was afraid.

* * *

Antonio and Francis were trying to get out of the town they were in but with the wedding tonight, everyone was busy. Then, they heard a scream.

Francis was confused, but Antonio knew that sound. He made that sound.

"You hear that, amigo? That is the sound of Ultimate Suffering. Mi corazón made that sound when my Chiara died. The man we need makes it now."

"What is he suffering?"

"His Lady is marrying another tonight, don't you think that is the cause of ultimate suffering?"

With the sudden stop in the activities, the two friends took advantage of the stillness and ran to find the source.

They followed it to an Oak in the Thieves Forest. It was this Oak because they saw Count Sadik walk out of the tree and ride away on his horse. It took all of Antonio's strength not to kill him at that moment.

They searched for a way to open the door again but found none. When they were about to give up, it opened again to reveal a girl/boy?

The person looked at them and asked, "Are you hear for the Man in Blue?"

"Si, chica?"

"Yes, I'm a girl. Berwald, the man, thought that I was a boy at first too." She looked around. "You may want to come in."

And they went down into the tree.

Antonio ran to where Berwald lay and checked for a pulse...

And found none.

"He's dead."

"Merde!"

* * *

 _"Grandpa Roma, is Berwald really dead?"_

 _"Si Italia."_

 _"You don't-a mean dead-dead, your'e joking, right Jerkface?"_

 _"No, Roma, Berwald is really dead."_

 _"Who kills Ivan or Sadik? Mister Rome?"_

 _"Ivan, would torture Berwald, si, but he never thought to kill him. As for Sadik, no one knows his fate."_

 _"So they WIN? WELL WHY ARE-A YOU READING US THIS BOOK, YA B-STARD?"_

 _"Well you were sick, so I thought that I would drop by and do something nice for you. Now, are you going to calm down and let me read or should we continue tomorrow?"_

 _Silence..._

 _"Good, now..."_

* * *

"Merde."

"How much money do you have Francis?"

"About 65. Why? à quoi penses-tu?

"I just hope that it is enough to buy a miracle that is all."

"If you are going to Lukas', you can barrow the wheelbarrow that we use for the dead bodies. I'll go get it, you two just get him up stairs." And she ran up the stairs and outside.

Antonio and Francis found the key to his chains and they unlocked them and after dropping Berwald down the steps a few times, they made it up the stairs.

Wheeling a dead person in a wheelbarrow was kind of nerve racking. They would get strange looks and questions to which they answered, "He's just drunk."

Once they reached the home of Lukas, they hoped that he would help them.

* * *

 ***I swear I am not a serial killer.**

 ***Meh-Funh: Pretty/beautiful phoenix. Fem China**


	13. The Final Chapter

**USUK VS Rusame: 12**

 **Gerita VS HRE/Italy: 11**

 **Prucan VS Franada: 11**

 **Spamano VS Spain/Belgium: 7**

 **Please vote up to two ships. I own nothing...**

 ** **If I write a country a certain way, it does not mean that I do not like them, there just needs to be conflict.****

* * *

Antonio pounded on the door multiple times before it opened to reveal a man with pale blond hair, violet robes, and a blank expression.

"What do you want?"

"Are you the Lukas Bondevik that worked in the castle years ago?" Francis asked.

The man's expression turned to one of annoyance. "Oh, thank you very much for bringing up a painful subject. Why don't you just give me a paper cut and pour salt and lemon juice on it. Leave me alone!" He said very sarcastically and slammed the door.

Antonio slammed his fist on the door again.

"What on this good earth, DO YOU WANT?!" Lukas yelled.

"We need a miricle, sir. Es muy importante!"

"No! Why would you want someone that Ivan's right hand man would fire? I'll kill whoever you want though..." He started to close the door.

"But he is already dead."

This cought his interest. "He is?" He looked at the corpse in the wheelbarrow. "Bring him in. I'll take a look."

Antonio and Francis carried the body in and placed him on the table in the center of the house. Lukas whispered something to a small boy with pale hair and he ran off.

"My little brother is going to keep my wife from interferring. Now," Lukas raised one of Berwald's arms and dropped it with a thud. "I've seen worse. How much you got?"

"Sixty-five."

Lukas scoffed and started to do chest compressions. "Ok, so, you need him alive. Why?"

Antonio was about to answer truthfully but Francis opened his mouth.

"He is the father of five, his wife is dead and his children are on the brink of starvation."

"That's a terrible lie."

"I need him to avenge my dead wife, murdered these past years. His lady love is about to face the same fate if she gets married." Antonio told the truth.

"Your first story was better." Lukas stopped the chest compressions. "Your friend here is just mostly dead."

"Is there a difference?"

"Don't get smart with me, Spaniard. With mostly dead, he is slightly alive. All dead, the only thing that you can do is go through his pockets and get his spare change. Must have been some kind of poison." Lukas muttered the last part to himself.

"Let's see if he wants to stay before we make him stay. Hey, what do you have here that is worth living for?" Lukas asked the "corpse" man on the table.

"Mmmm wwww'''''ffffff'''''"

"You see!? He said 'My wife', what more reason do you need?" Francis asked.

"A damn good one."

"LUKAS? LUKAS!"

"Get away you witch!"

"I'm not a 'witch', I am your wife and after what you just said, I am having second thoughts about that."

"Not another word, Mathilde!"

"He wants to live for the love of his life and you refuse to help because you are scared! You are scared that it will backfire like it did for Vladimir!"

"You promised me that you would not say his name!"

"Who's? Vladimir's?"

"YES!"

"Vladimir! Vladimir! Vladimir Vladimir Vladimir Vladimir Vladimir Vladimir Vladimir Vladimir..."

The two friends watched the husband and wife play cat and mouse.

"WAIT! THIS IS THE PRINCESS TINA'S TRUE LOVE! IF YOU HEAL HIM, WE CAN BREAK UP A WEDDING AND I CAN AVENGE MY WIFE'S SOUL BY KILLING HER MURDERER, SADIK!"

"Wait a minute!" Lukas put his hand over his wife's mouth, which she licked. "If I make him better, Sadik suffers?" he asked kind of hopeful.

"Revenge galore."

The biggest smile in the world was on Lukas's face at that moment. "Ha, he's gonna get what he deserves!" he sang. "Give me the sixty-five! I'm on the job!"

Lukas made a pill in under five minutes.

"That is a mericle pill?"

The chocolate coating helps it go down and covers the bad taste." Mathilde explained.

"Wait about a half hour before he takes it. An hour before he goes swimming. And what is it for the sideways tango? A week?" Lukas asked his wife.

"Yeah, wait a week."

The two ushered the two out of the house with the 'mostly dead' Berwald.

"Bye-bye boys!" Mathilde called.

"Have fun storming the castle!" Lukas yelled after them.

"You think that it will work?" Mathilde muttered.

"Ha, it would take a mericle." Lukas muttered in reply.

"BYE-BYE!"

* * *

Tina looked at herself in the mirror. She looked beautiful. A silk gown as pure as new fallen snow, as light as a cloud, and it shone like the stars. The diadem above her golden curls was forged of silver and ivory. The diamonds were carved just for the purpose of sparkling at her slightest movement. She supposed that she should be happy. But she wasn't.

She wanted to be marrying Berwald. But she wasn't.

She wanted to be away from the castle. But she wasn't.

She wanted to be free from the marriage to Ivan. But she wasn't.

The wedding was starting in under an hour and she was scared. She was terrified. She was curious as to where Berwald was. Did he leave her? Did he find another woman? Would he even come for her? She never doubted her Berwald's love for her. Whether or not he was alive, yes. But never his love. So why was she doubting now?

Her ladies maid placed a necklace of pearls around her neck. But to Tina, it felt like a noose.

* * *

 _"Antonio and Francis carried Berwald to the eastern wall of the castle. It was the one that was guarded the least the last Francis checked and it was near the stables for a quick get away, the chapel where Ivan and Tina would be married in would up a few flights of stairs, all in all, it seemed like their luck was changing for the better..."_

They set down Berwald in a sitting position. To an onlooker, he would have been a guard that feel asleep at his post.

"How long has it been?" Francis asked.

"Long enough..."

Francis opened Berwald's mouth and Antonio put the chocolate pill in.

"Did he say how long it would take to work?" Francis asked.

He got his answer as Berwald's eyes shot open and his blue eyes recognized the two men. He tried to fight them but his limbs were not responding.

"Hey, hey, calm down amigo! If you calm down, we can help you save your Princess."

Berwald calmed down at the mention of Tina.

"Let moi explain. No, there is too much. I'll summarize it for you. Ivan and Tina are getting married in less than an hour. We need to storm the castle, rescue her while Antonio kills the man who murdered his wife, then we make our escape. You were also mostly dead all day."

"You were going to kill her, why should I listen to you?"

"Gilbert was going to kill her, we were meant to distract you. If it helps, we tried to stop him, though not very well."

Berwald thought about the pros and cons of joining with these two idiots. Pros: they could help him get his 'wife' back and escape. Cons: they could kill her for good and leave him to die. Pros sounded a lot better that the cons.

"Fine. What are our assets?"

"My steel, your brains, and Francis can flirt with anything that breathes."

"Seriously?"

"It works."

"I also got this cloak from Mathilde." Francis pulled out a cloak from nowhere.

"Where did you get that?"

"Mathilde."

"We also have the wheelbarrow."

"Alright then, how many guards are at the gate?"

"I don't know, they keep adding more and more."

"Alright. Let's plan."

* * *

Sadik was trusted with escourting the Princess down the isle. A task that Sadik was proud of. As he walked her down to her future husband, he noticed something about her.

He heard of bride getting nervous at their wedding, but this takes the cake. She looked everywhere. Granted, no one would notice with that large veil, but Sadik was standing right by her and it seemed that she was looking for an escape.

 _Or someone..._

He gave her to Ivan and he knew that any hope of escape, was dead now as Father Feliciano started the ceremony.

* * *

Getting past those poor excuse of guards was surprisingly not that difficult. All they had to do was put Francis in a cloak, set him on fire, and have him run like mad towards the guards and they scattered like flies. Then, Antonio had to threaten to rip a man's arms out of their socket to get the gate key.

Now they were in, all they had to do was find the Princess, kill the Turk, and escape with their lives.

Berwald was, thankfully, a quick healer. He was able to walk now, useless in a fight for now, but still. He had the look that Antonio had on his face when he dueled the Turk. Determination and fear.

Antonio understood why he was determined to get the Princess back, she was his wife. Or that is what Berwald had said.

Fear, because they may be too late.

* * *

Sadik, as well as the other guest heard the cries of the guards at the gate.

Princess Tina dared to have the look of hope across her face.

Ivan nodded to Sadik to take care of the problem.

So he left with two guards and found an odd trio two corridors down from the chapel.

A Frenchman, the Prisoner, and the Spaniard Brat.

"Kill the Frenchman and the Blue man. Leave the Spanish filth* for questioning."

The two guard lunged forward at the order. But with miraculous speed and agility, the Spanish man disarmed and killed them both.

 _Is he? No..._

"Hello. My name is Antonio Fernandez Carriedo. You murdered my wife, prepare to die." He raised his sword.

 _He is..._

So did Sadik, before he advanced in the other direction.

Antonio ran after him, leaving his companions to look at each other in question.

Sadik ran through many different corridors trying to lose this crazy man until, at last, he made it to the room where the reception would take place.

He took up a knife and threw it at the Spaniard as he flew through the doorway.

The knife landed under his ribs and was enough to send him to his knees. He looked at the ceiling and cried.

"Lo siento, mi amor. I failed you."

"My God, you must be the Spanish brat who's wife I murdered those years ago. She would have lived if she just accepted my proposal."

"She was already married to me, you puta!" He groaned.

"It is quite the shame. You try your best to avenge that stubborn woman only to fail now. How tragic."

He pulled the knife out of his gut.

"She was not worth it you know. Not worth your life, not worth that sword either. I would have just left her once I tired of her to be honest with you."

The injured man struggled to keep his blood in as he stood up. And once he did, he looked him right in the eye and said, "She was so worth it."

And they dueled while the Spanish man held his insides in with his left hand, praising his wife the entire time.

"She was worth the countless times she turned me down."

"She was worth the sun, moon, and stars!"

"She was worth every insult!"

"She was worth every heart break!"

"She was worth every fight!"

"She was worth every 'I love you'!"

"She was worth it damnit!"

"She was worth everything because I love her and I would have gone anywhere and I would have done anything she asked because damnit, I love her!"

Antonio disarmed the man and forced him to his knees.

"I will give you anything that you ask, please spare me!" The Count begged.

"I want my wife and unborn child back you son of a bitch."

And then a very sharp sword, the last one that Chiara Vargas Carriedo ever made, pierced the heart of her killer.

Antonio took a deep breath, and went to find his companions.

* * *

Ivan was getting restless. Sadik should have been back by now.

"Excuse me, do you mind if we just skip to the end?" He asked the Priest.

He could feel the excitement from his dear soon-to-be wife.

"I don't see why not. Do you Ivan, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"Just say 'Man and Wife'!"

The look he gave the priest must have scared him pretty bad because he squeaked out a 'Man and Wife' before he left running out the door.

Ivan kissed his shocked wife before he left her to the care of his sick sister, the Queen.

He was going to find out where the Count went.

Ivan felt very drawn to the reception hall and he saw his count, bleeding on the floor.

And he knew exactly who did it.

* * *

Princess Tina felt very cold. Her sister-in-law was talking, but she didn't hear a word. She was to busy thinking of her suicide.

As Queen Irina dropped her off at her room, she had already come up with a plan.

She would take the knife that she hid in her room and slit her own throat.

Tina didn't want to do the deed incase Berwald came for her if he didn't give up on her already. But having been married to Ivan just a few moments ago made the knife more inviting than her wedding night.

She took the knife out of it's hiding spot and was about to slice into her own skin when she heard the voice she thought she would never hear again.

"There are few women of great beauty. It would be a shame to lose the one that leaves them all behind."

Tina turned and there he was. Tall and proud with his arms out to her.

Tina dropped the knife and ran to his arms. He held her as if she was going to disappear in the blink of an eye.

"Berwald, would you please forgive?" She cried into his chest.

"What would you have done that you require my forgiveness?" He spoke softly, as if he would scare her away.

"I got married! I didn't want too, but it all happened so quickly!"

"Did you say 'I do' Tina,?"

"No, we skipped that."

"Then you are not married. Wouldn't you agree Ivan?"

Tina turned and saw Ivan in the doorway looking livid.

"Yes, I admit that we didn't say 'I do.'"

Tina moved behind Berwald because she didn't like how Ivan was looking at her.

"So the marriage that you are currently under is not legally binding."

"I suppose it is not."

Just then, Antonio ran in with his shirt covered in blood.

"I killed the Count, ay, dios mio!"

"I should have you hanged for murder of a royal."

"He was going to murder Tina and backstab you anyway."

Ivan was filled with mixed emotions. Deciding on one thing he acted on it.

"Do you love him?" He asked Tina. Who was not legally his.

"Yes." She looked at him and he felt his heart break.

"You may go with him. I can garentee, you would be far more happier with him than you would with me."

The two men and the bride quickly left before Ivan could change his mind.

They found Francis in the courtyard with four white horses and they rode off into the sunrise.

* * *

 _Grandpa Rome then shut the book much to the dismay of the three sick children._

 _"Grandpa Rome, why?"_

 _"It's kissing stuff, you wouldn't like it."_

 _"But Grandpa, maybe just this once, we could read the kissing stuff?" Romano asked._

 _"Alright then"_

 _'There were many kisses since the very first kiss. There were five rated the most passionate, the most loving, and the most romantic. The one exchanged between the Pirate and his Princess Bride, left them all behind._

 _The End.'_

 _"That was a very nice story Mister Rome."_

 _"Thank you for reading it to us, Grandpa!"_

 _As The Roman Empire got up to leave, the voice of little Romano called him back._

 _"Do you think, the next time we are sick, you could read this again?" Little Roma was sooooo cute! It was all Roman Empire could do to stop a nose bleed._

 _"As you wish, Romano."_

 _And he left._

* * *

 ***For the insult, I am soooooo sorry. I love Spain, in fact, my Spanish grade is better than my English grade.**

 **Do you want an Epilogue?**


	14. Epilogue

**The winner of the next fan-fiction is...**

 **USUK verses Rusame!**

 **If I write a country a certain way, it does not mean that I do not like them, there just needs to be conflict.**

* * *

It was many years after the Roman Empire read to Chibitalia, Chibiromano, and Holy Rome.

Holy Rome left and never came back and the Cold War was done and over with.

Prussia and Germany were reunited only to get sick with the flu.

Italy was cleaning out his attic when he found the book that his grandpa read to him and his brother as children when they were sick. Thinking that it would cheer the German brothers up, he took it out of the dusty attic and went over to Germany's house.

He walked right in to find Germany was on the couch covered in blankets and snotty tissues while Prussia was on the floor with a red and white blanket with a maple leaf mumbling something about how it was not awesome to be sick.

"Ve, hey Germany, so, I was-a cleaning my attic and I found a book my grandpa Rome used to read to Romano and I when we were sick so I thought that I could read it to you and Prussia since you are sick." He said in his usual happy manner.

Germany mumbled something that Italy took as a yes.

"Ok, I'm just going to make-a you some chicken soup, I got a really good recipe from America, and then while you two eat, I'll read."

Once Germany and Prussia were sitting upright on the couch under their many blankies with a bowl of chicken soup, Italy began his story.

And Germany knew deep down, it was going to be a good story.

Although, he didn't know whether Ivan and Meh-funh getting married was part of the original story or if sweet Italy added it.


	15. AN

Hey guys and gals.

So this is an authors not I swore to myself I would not do.

Anyway, I have a new poll up if you want to check it out.

Also, the winner of the last poll was USUK and Rusame for Phantom of the opera fic. Check it out if you want.

Reviews are my life sourse.

I love all the viewers and a special shoutout to all of the reviewers. YEAH!

See you soon.

Holy Rome.


End file.
